Pain Relief & Procedural Sedation

Currently Paramedics working at level 1 (The National Standard Paramedic Qualification) can administer certain drugs for pain relief and treatment of convulsions.

These include Intravenous Morphine and Paracetamol for pain relief, and Diazepam for treatment of convulsions.

For the majority of patients this is perfectly adequate and provides a high standard of care.

In certain circumstances patients who are in extreme pain and / or agitation, due to severe injury or are suffering from a medical condition, may require additional pain relief and/or sedation.

In these circumstances either a Doctor or Critical Care Paramedic (Level 2) who has had specific Critical Care training and working to specific guidelines, can administer certain drugs to relieve pain and if necessary, sedate a patient.

NARS Doctors and Critical Care trained Paramedics can provide this level of care.

Serious Injuries

Referred to as ‘major trauma’, life and limb threatening injuries present a number of challenges to members of the emergency services.

NARS volunteers are trained and equipped to perform emergency surgical procedures at the scene of an accident.

A surgical cricothyroidotomy is a procedure similar to a tracheostomy in that the lungs can be ventilated in the case of complete airway obstruction, especially in the case of severe facial injuries.

Thoracostomies can be performed when a patient is suspected of having severe chest injuries to relieve a tension pneumothorax (collapsed lung).

Children

Although children are resilient, trauma is one of the leading causes of death and disability in young children.